Significant abundance of species diversity of flora and fauna, valuable genetic resources, endemic and epibiotic species of flora and fauna have developed in extremely diverse environmental conditions of Tajikistan. This great diversity are nowadays being preserved in natural ecosystems, and, partly, in agricultural ecosystems. Rich biodiversity is composed of around 23 thousands of flora and fauna species, 1900 of which are endemic. The main sources of river formation which supply water into the basin of Aral Sea are glaciers and perennial snow cover.Country’s water sources are used for irrigation of cotton, industrial and domestic needs.

It also accounts for 95% of the total electrical energy production. Tajikistan’s biodiversity has great importance on the global, regional and national levels. From the amount of globally valuable there are 11 plant species which are important for selective breeding: Aspicilia oxneriana, Hordeum bulbosum, Fritillaria regelii, Tulipa subquinquefolia, Punica granatum, Ficus carica, Juglans regia, Pistasio verae and others. Two species have been introduced in the Red Book IUCN-2006: Darvaz dogwood Swida darvasica and apple-tree Malus sieversii. Among animals following species present global imrportance: markhor Capra falconeri, snow leopard Uncia uncia and urial (red sheep) Ovis vignei. The main protected species among plant communities of various landscapes are endemics, which present global importance. Among these are 30 plant species (Vavilov almonds, walnuts, pistachios, Darvazian plums, Kayon pears, Suvorov onion, Sambul Roots, bulbous barleys, Rozenbakh onions, and others). There are in total number 105 species of endemics. Valuable plant communities are wooded, meadow, tugay, piny and semi-savannah flora where could be found significant number of rare endemic and eibiotic species.

Publications

Protecting national heritage of Tajikistan!

"Protecting national heritage of Tajikistan!" has been prepared in the framework of UNDP/GEF project "Conservation and sustainable use of Pamir Alay and Tien Shan ecosystems for snow leopard protection and sustainable community livelihoods" and is dedicated to the International Day of Snow Leopard, which is annualycelebrated on October 23.

The publication is intended for a wide range of readers and lovers of nature, and is intended to inform about the importance and value of conservation of the snow leopard ecosystems and its prey.

Biosafety and Environment: Introduction to Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety

NATIONAL REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE RAMSAR CONVENTION ON WETLANDS IN REPUBLIC OF TAJIKISTAN

The National Report on Ramsar Convention consists of four sections:

Section 1 provides the institutional information about the Administrative Authority and National Focal Points for the national implementation of the Convention.

Section 2 is a ‘free-text’ section in which the Party is invited to provide a summary of various aspects of national implementation progress and recommendations for the future.

Section 3 provides the 66 implementation indicator questions, grouped under each Convention implementation strategy in the Strategic Plan 2009-2015, and with an optional ‘free-text’ section under each indicator question in which the Contracting Party may, if it wishes, add further information on national implementation of that activity.

Section 4 is an optional annex to allow any Contracting Party that so wishes to provide additional information regarding any or all of its Wetlands of International Importance (Ramsar Sites).

Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety

The Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety to the Convention on Biological Diversity is an international agreement on biosafety, as a supplement to the Convention on Biological Diversity. The Biosafety Protocol seeks to protect biological diversity from the potential risks posed by genetically modified organisms resulting from modern biotechnology.

The Biosafety Protocol makes clear that products from new technologies must be based on the precautionary principle and allow developing nations to balance public health against economic benefits. It will for example let countries ban imports of a genetically modified organisms if they feel there is not enough scientific evidence that the product is safe and requires exporters to label shipments containing genetically altered commodities such as corn or cotton.

The required number of 50 instruments of ratification/accession/approval/acceptance by countries was reached in May 2003. In accordance with the provisions of its Article 37, the Protocol entered into force on 11 September 2003. As of March 2015, the Protocol has 170 parties, which includes 167 United Nations member states, Niue, the State of Palestine, and the European Union.